President Mahama owes no one an explanation – Asiedu Nketia

08/23/2016

Tell your friends

The General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson AsieduNketia said “It has never been the practice that when that power is exercised, you wish to find out the justification.”Asiedu Nketia

President Mahama does not owe anybody an explanation for remitting the sentence of the Montie trio.

The General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia said “It has never been the practice that when that power is exercised, you wish to find out the justification.”

“The President has consulted with the Council of State and that is all that he needs to do. There is no requirement of the president explaining why he had mercy for one person or the other so the President doesn’t owe anybody any explanation,” Asiedu Nketia added.

Asiedu Nketia further indicated that the on-going debates on the President’s decision were needless. Reactions have been coming from politicians and many Ghanaians both from the traditional media and social media.

However AsieduNketia said in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM said “The President has acted within the remit of his powers. That is all. I don’t think it deserves the level of debate that is going on at all.”

He indicated that President Mahama “under Article 72 has been given that power and all Presidents in Ghana have had occasion to exercise it. It is called a prerogative of mercy.”

He was quick to add that the remittance does not absolve them of their crime. He said that the pardon was not “based on justice or any argument. It doesn’t mean that the beneficiaries are not guilty or anything. In fact, if they are not guilty, then they don’t need mercy. Mercy is granted to somebody who is guilty.”

In the late hours of Monday (August 23), a statement signed by the Minister of Communications, Dr. Edward OmaneBoamah, revealed that President Mahama has remitted the sentence of the Montie trio on ‘compassionate grounds’.